California Splits With U.S.
Over Greenhouse Gases

By

Joseph Schuman The Wall Street Journal Online

Updated Aug. 31, 2006 6:43 a.m. ET

Predictions for a California secession have always been somewhat farcical. But yesterday's bipartisan deal to cut the state's greenhouse-gas emissions suggests how much it and some other blue states are veering away from policy dictated by Washington toward the Kyoto Protocol adopted by most other countries.

Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Democratically led legislature agreed on a plan to cut emissions of carbon dioxide and other climate-changing gases by 25% over the next 14 years -- a plan quickly adopted...